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This cabinet card was taken in 1897 (date pencilled on back). It shows a young Josephy C. Ritter with his toy wagon. Joseph wears a plain blouse and kneepants and is barefoot. He holds a U.S, Army hat. (It looks like the style worn during the Spanish American War.) The wagon looks home made from packing boxes. Wood was commnly used instead of cardboard in the 19th century. (Which is where we get the term 'soap-box derby') Also notice the all-metal wheels. Rubber was still not being used. The portrait is also interesting because it shows how caninet cards began to change around the turn-od-the 20th century. The card measures approximately 4 x 5.5 inches. The mount was not only slightly smaller than the standard cabinet card, but it had a decorated frame around the actual photograph and did not have a studio name and location. In addition, it was not a studio portrait, but in the period before the Kodak Brownie, took his film to a studio to have it printed--at least the images he liked.
This cabinet card was taken in 1897 (date pencilled on back). It shows a young Josephy C. Ritter. Unfortunately we know nothing more about Joseph. He looks to be 4-5 years old. The fact that he has a home-made toy suggests to us thatvhis family was not particularly affluent. But the fact that his father seems interested in photography suggests that they were definitely middle class.
A toy waggon was a popular toy for boys. Actually there are only two wheels, so this more correctly would be a cart. It gave them something to cart asround all sorts of things from friends to toys. When I was a kid in the earl-1950s, just about every boy has a red waggon. I don't recall if mine was a Radio Flyer, but I recall it was definitely red. Here Joseph has a great home-made waggon made from wooden shipping crates, in this case an Arm & Hammar product. Notice the metal wheels. Unfortunastely the waggon is empty so we don't get to see what Joseph was carting asroujnd in it.
The wagon looks home made from packing boxes. Wood was commnly used instead of cardboard in the 19th century. They were used for all kinds of products. I am not sure why the term 'soap bix' became popular. Apparently soap was one of the most common items shipped in these wooden crates. Until the late-19th century, packaged goods were the exception rather than the rule. One went to the dry goods store and ordered products like salt and sugar by the pound. The counter help would then scoop out the requested amount into a paper bag. Such items were shipped in bulk and delivered in barrels. Wooden crates were designed to ship packaged goods and by the late-9th cenuries such crates jhad become very common. And people began finding uses for them, like building Joseph's waggon which we see here. This is where we get the term 'soap box'. It is used variously, like 'soap-box derby' where boys (now girls as well) race home-built cars. They were so common that they were used for many different puroses. The most famous of course was an elevated place to stand while talkig to a group.
Notice the all-metal wheels. Rubber was still not being used. This photograph is particularly helpful because it was dated. It tells us that metals wheels were still being used in 1897. This is useful because we have found many undated photographs of early bicycles and tricycles. Being able to date when rubber wheels appeared will help date images with bicycles and tricycles. We note that John Dunlop invented the first pneumatic tire in 1887 and began producing them a year later. We are unsure how rapidly they were adopted. Here in 1897 we still see metal wheels being used.
The style of cabinet cards were realtively unchanged for several decades (1860s-90s). We see new styles of mounts appearing at the turn-of the 20th century, beginning about 1895. The precise date still needs to be established. The old classic styles were still more common at first, but we begin to see the new styles. This is one of these new styles. The portrait here is also interesting because it shows how caninet cards had begun to changey. The card measures approximately 4 x 5.5 inches. The mount was not only slightly smaller than the standard cabinet card, but it had a decorated frame around the actual photograph and did not have a studio name and location.
This is a realtively rare cabinet card. It was not a studio portrait. Almpost all caninet cards were studio portraits. We see more amnateur photographers in the 1890s. Photography was becoming easier for amatuers, but still not wasy. In the period before the Kodak Brownie, took his film to a studio to have it printed--at least the images he liked. Rich people might have a photographer come to their home. But Joseph's family was clearly not rich. Another possibility here is that a studio had one of its photographers move around the town and offer to take portraits. We know that there were itinerate photograohers in rural areas.
with his toy wagon. Joseph wears a plain blouse and kneepants and is barefoot. He holds a U.S, Army hat. (It looks like the style worn during the Spanish American War.) Going barefoot should not be seen as a sign of poverty. It was of course more common with poor children and not very common with rich children, but many children went barefoot, especially in the South and rural areas.
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